Bio of Schwantz, Alfred J. (b.1856) Wabasha Co., MN
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Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Timm
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1920.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab3.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Schwantz, Alfred J. (see previous), on May 28, 1918, was drafted for
service in the war with Germany. He reported at the court house at Wabasha
at 2:00 o'clock P. M., and at 8:00 o'clock A. M. the next day left Wabasha
for Camp Lewis, Wash. He rode three days, arrived in camp at 6:00 o'clock,
did some drilling at this camp, and on June 19, 1918, left for camp
Kearney, Calif. In his own words: "We rode on the train three and a half
days till we arrived in the camp. Here we were assigned to Company C,
160th Infantry; we lived in tents. This was the best camp that I was in.
It was fine in California all the time that I was there. Here I got
considerable training. On July 27, 1918, I left Camp Kearney, Calif., for
Camp Mills, N. Y. This was quite a ride across the United States. I saw
all kinds of country when riding. It took six and a half days to get to
this camp. While riding on the cars some of the boys broke out with
measles. Then we were put in the detention camp at New York. Here we
stayed for twelve days, and our company went across. August 17, 1918, we
left Camp Mills for Camp Merritt to get equipped for overseas duty. August
18, 1918, left Camp Merritt for Camp Mills, N. Y. August 21, 1918, left
Camp Mills on the train for Hoboken, N. J., for the ship. Here we were
assigned to Company G, 156th Infantry. August 22, 1918, the transport left
at 10:30 P. M. for the overseas trip. The ship I went across in was a
captured German ship, the second largest ship that they had. This ship was
named President Grant. The eats that we got on this ship surely were good.
Were on the water twelve days. On the morning of September 3, 1918, could
see the coast of France. Left the ship at noon. Hiked out of Brest,
France, about two miles and here we camped for a week in dog tents; here
we got some of the first spring wine. September 8, 1918, left Brest,
France ~ this was on a Sunday ~ in box cars. We rode two and a half days;
then we got off the train and lay outside that night in the rain, near
some French village. Next morning we hiked about 30 miles, hiking till ten
o'clock that night, all tired out and hungry. Here we stayed in a French
farm house in the barns from September 11, 1918, to October 17, 1918. We
had to drill every day. Then we left again on box cars on a three days'
ride. After we got off the train we were transferred to the 32d Division,
Co. A, 125th Infantry, and the same evening hiked toward the front, where
we were in reserve for several days. November 1 we started to hike and
followed up back of the lines as the grounds were gained by us. This was
on the Verdun front in the woods. In the evening of the 10th we hiked to
the front, lay low all that night, supposed to go over the top the next
morning. At midnight orders came that we should wait till the next day and
see which way the armistice was going; didn't do any fighting, only trying
to keep out of the way from being hit by bullets. After eleven o'clock
everything was quiet ~ seemed like a different world; then we hiked up to
the German line, stayed around a few days, and were put into the army of
occupation. On November 17, we started to hike to Germany, hiked a few
days and came to Lonwy, France, where we rested two days. Then we started
to hike and went into Belgium and Luxemburg. Here we stayed and rested up
for a week at a farmer's place, sleeping in barns and dog tents during the
hikes so far. In Luxemburg we spent Thanksgiving day. December 1st we
crossed the German line, hiked to Andernacht, Germany, where we got shoes
and clothes and whatever we needed. After we got fixed up we were like new
soldiers again. Had a two days' rest here; then we hiked again and crossed
the Rhine river, and hiked a few more days till we got to a dorf named
Gullishiem (Germany), which finished our hike to December 14, 1918. All we
had to do was guard duty, which was good pastime. I was promoted from a
private to a first-class private while in Germany. Stayed in Gullishiem,
Germany, till April 20, 1919, on Easter. Then we left for Niederberg in
trucks, and loaded into box cars, they putting 21 boys to a cart. Left
April 21, 1919, and arrived in Brest, France, April 24, 1919. Here we
stayed till May 2, and left for the ship at Brest, homeward bound for
America. We came back in five and a half days on the "Great Northern,"
unloaded on May 9, 1919, in Hoboken, H. J., then went to Camp Mills, N.
Y., where we stayed several days. Here we received passes to go and see
the City of New York. On May 18, 1919, left Camp Mills for Camp Dodge,
Ia., and on May 21, 1919, I received my discharge."